Politics

Israel’s former intelligence chief on 7 October

"Our actions are the result of fear"

Two years after the Hamas attack, Israel remains in shock, says Ami Ayalon. In this interview, the former intelligence chief explains why Israeli society has failed to learn the lessons of 7 October, why the Gaza war must end, and why he rejects allegations of genocide.
By Judith Poppe
Syrian newspaper Enab Baladi

"We offer an alternative to propaganda and hate"

The team behind Enab Baladi, the revolutionary media organisation founded at the start of the 2011 uprising, has returned to Syria. Co-founder Kholoud Helmi explains why their presence in Damascus is more crucial than ever.
By Julia Stanton
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa

The false saviour

Ahmed al-Sharaa is celebrated for liberating Syria from the Assad regime. But the former militia leader has a dark past. Will the people, out of desperation, once again fall prey to a brutal dictator?
By Maram Ahmad
Egyptian activist pardoned

Alaa Abd El-Fattah is free

After years in prison, democracy activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah is free. Egypt's president has officially pardoned the 43-year-old. Read by a selection of texts by and about one of the key figures of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.
Hamas in Gaza

A fractured movement, an absent leadership

Hamas miscalculated. It failed to anticipate the scale of Israel's retaliation after 7 October, which has left Gaza in ruins, eroding support for the movement and provoking the anger of the people it claims to represent.
By Asmaa al-Ghoul
Refugee rights in Egypt

"We are in a legal vacuum"

Egypt hosts more than one million registered refugees, most from Sudan. Recent legislation has stripped away protections, creating chaos in the country's asylum system and violating international law, says Nour Khalil, director of Refugees Platform Egypt (RPE).
By Clara Taxis
Sumud Flotilla

Tunisia at the forefront of global convoy to Gaza

More than 50 boats are set to sail to Gaza in an attempt to break Israel's blockade. While European activists dominate headlines, the mission unites participants from over 40 countries, including many from Tunisia, where solidarity with Palestine runs deep.
By Miriam Tepes, Sofia Turati
The new Syria

A history of violence

For the first time in eleven years, Yassin al-Haj Saleh returned to his homeland. The Syrian writer and dissident found a country torn apart by internal conflicts and beset by worries about the return of tyranny. A historical analysis.
By Yassin al-Haj Saleh
Tunisia under Kais Saied

Civil society in survival mode

Since his re-election last year, Tunisian President Kais Saied has consolidated his authoritarian rule, silencing dissent and attacking marginalised groups. The EU must support Tunisian civil society rather than reinforcing Saied's populist narrative.
By Sophia Hiss
Political scientist Rahaf Aldoughli

"Al-Sharaa must be put under pressure"

Ahmed al-Sharaa promised a peaceful Syria, but violence continues to shape the country's transition. A genuine national dialogue, political participation and a strategy to integrate former fighters into the army are essential, says political scientist Rahaf Aldoughli.
By Hannah El-Hitami
Reporting on Palestine

Germany cannot imagine the suffering in Gaza

For some, the widespread publication of images of starving children from Gaza is a sign of a major shift in the German political and media discourse. Palestinian journalist Asmaa al-Ghoul disagrees.
By Asmaa al-Ghoul
Transitional justice in Syria

"Accountability is more important than punishment"

Can there be justice after the horrors Syria has endured? Sociologist Mohammed Bamyeh sees signs that the country's new leadership wants to confront the past, but warns against the dangers of selective justice.
By Morgane Llanque